


can i go where you go

by frckledsokka



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Zuko (Avatar), First Dates, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Tattoos, Zukka Week 2021
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-27 18:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30127080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frckledsokka/pseuds/frckledsokka
Summary: Zuko wanted to interject- to argue that it probably wasn’t worth it just for him- but he closed his mouth when he looked at Sokka, looking back with a growing flush on his face and a look in his eyes that Zuko could almost call love if he didn’t know any better. But it didn’t matter what Sokka felt either way, because Zuko loved him.----Or 5 times Zuko and Sokka accidentally go on a date, and 1 time it's on purpose.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 105





	can i go where you go

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I wrote this for day 5 of Zukka Week on tumblr for the "5+1 Things" prompt (But it also goes with like. three other prompts as well hehe.) <3

**1.**

Zuko knew this was a bad idea.

Of _course_ he knew it was a bad idea- last weekend (while heavily intoxicated) Sokka had the brilliant plan for the two of them to get tattoos together- and Zuko, who was almost as drunk as Sokka was, didn’t have enough brain power to tell Sokka no (not that he _ever_ has the ability to deny Sokka of- well- anything). And by some miracle, Sokka actually remembered the conversation the morning after and still decided it was a good idea. 

Which is why now, the next weekend, Sokka was dragging Zuko to the best tattoo parlor downtown. 

“Sokka wait-” Zuko grabbed his elbow to stop him a couple feet away from the shop.

Sokka turned to look down at him expectantly, so Zuko dropped his elbow in favor of clasping his hands together, “Sokka maybe we shouldn’t do this.”

Sokka pouted, “ _C’mon_ Zuko,” he grabbed Zuko’s shoulders and shook him, “It’ll be fun! You’ve always said you want a tattoo anyway so why not get one now?”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean it’s so last minute and I-”

“Nope!” Sokka replaced his hold on Zuko’s shoulders to grab his wrist and pull him towards the door. “I don’t wanna hear any of that last minute mumbo jumbo, you’re just making excuses because you’re too indecisive and picky.”

“I am not indecisive and picky!”

“You are, but that’s okay, that’s why you have me.” They stopped in front of the door and Sokka sighed and turned to glance at Zuko before opening it. “But seriously, are you _sure_ you don’t wanna do this?”

Zuko looked up at him, “Huh?”

“Well, I’m not gonna force you to go in there and get a tattoo. If you really don’t wanna do this we can just go to the ice cream place around the block.”

Zuko blinked up at Sokka who was looking back with understanding, like he really didn’t care what Zuko chose either way. 

He looked down at his feet, hiding his blush from his friend; things like this, the way Sokka was so genuine, so caring, were the reasons Zuko fell for him when they became roommates the first year of university. It’s been years since then and Zuko still couldn’t control his flush when Sokka showed him even an ounce of kindness. He sighed and looked back up to see Sokka still looking at him, waiting.

“No” he sighed, “No you’re right. I _do_ wanna get a tattoo I guess I'm just…” he gestured with his hand. 

“Indecisive and picky?”

He punched Sokka in the shoulder lightly and glared to cover up his smile. “I resent that.”

Sokka raised his arms in surrender, “Hey I’m just being honest.”

Zuko scoffed and shoved him to the door. “Yeah yeah just, go in the stupid store.”

The Dancing Dragons Tattoo Shop was a nice place- it had deep red walls adorned with black and white dragons wrapped around each other and gold accents, and a good number tattoo stations with the faint mind-numbing sound of tattoo guns- there was a quiet white noise in the back that absolutely did not match the vibe of the rest of the store, and a woman at the front desk with long black hair that was covering half her face and deep red lipstick, a circular tattoo on one arm and a sleeve on the other. 

She looked up when the bell above the door rang as they walked up to her desk. “Can I help you two?” she asked, completely uninterested.

If Sokka could hear the annoyance in her voice, he ignored it and grinned widely, “Hi! I’m Sokka, this is Zuko, we wanted to get some tattoos!” 

The lady- _June,_ if her name tag was any consolation- raised an eyebrow as she looked between the two of them. Zuko didn’t blame her- Sokka had his hair up, wearing a bright blue crop top and a denim jacket with jeans, _still_ smiling so widely you’d think his face was stuck like that, and Zuko was in black jeans and a deep red t-shirt with his hair in his eyes. They didn’t really look like a duo you’d see walking into a _tattoo shop_ together- but eventually June seemed to get over it and rolled her eyes. “You got an appointment?”

Sokka stopped grinning at that and glanced at Zuko, “Uh, no we don’t.”

June sighed, “You know what you want?”

“Yeah! I’m getting a crescent moon on the back of my neck and…” 

Zuko perked up, “Oh, um, I wanted a lotus flower on my wrist.” He’d been planning on getting a tattoo in honor of his uncle for a while now, so when in Rome right?

Sokka gave him a slight smile and turned back to June.

She looked between them once before writing something on the sheet in front of her, “I’ve got an hour before my next appointment shows up if you boys wanna do this right now.”

Sokka’s smile widened again as he glanced at Zuko who gave him a small nod. “That sounds great, thanks!”

June hummed, “Yeah, sure. Follow me.”

She led the two of them to a separate room in the back and had them sit as she went to print off the designs they explained to her.

Sokka nudged his side when they sat down, “How you feeling? Still wanna do this?”

Zuko breathed out through his nose, “Yeah, I think so,” he looked down at his hands in lap, twisting his ring around his finger.

“Why the moon?”

“Huh, oh! I um, I wanted to get something for my mom.” He nodded knowingly and glanced at Sokka to see him twiddling his own thumbs in his lap.

He smiled at him, “It’s nice.”

Sokka looked at him with his own smile and a slight blush rising to his cheeks, “Thanks Zuko. What about you? Why the flower?”

“I wanted to get something for Uncle,” he looked back down at his hands and rubbed his wrist, “I’m not sure if he’s really gonna love me getting a _tattoo_ for him, but he deserves something after everything he’s done for me.” He shrugged.

“Well _I_ think he’s gonna love it.”

Before Zuko could argue that he didn’t think Uncle’s first choice of a gift would be ink permanently stained on Zuko’s body, June came back with stencils and tattoo gun.

“So which one of you lovebirds is up first?”

Zuko whipped his head up to look at June with a wide-eyed expression that he hoped would tell her ‘ _No, actually we aren’t together’_ but she had her back turned, and before Zuko could say anything, Sokka jumped up and sat over on the client seat. “I am!”

She walked over to start setting up the machine and getting the moon tattoo set up on Sokka’s neck. Right after she put the stencil on its spot and got ready to start, Sokka looked over at Zuko and stuck out his hand.

He looked down at his hand, back up at Sokka, and back down again before furrowing his eyebrow. 

“What are you doing?”

Sokka scoffed and rolled his eyes, pushing his hand out farther, “C’mon, come hold my hand.”

Zuko’s good eye widened even further and he could feel his face darken with blush when he heard June snicker. “You- you want me to hold your hand?”

“Well yeah, why else do you think I brought you here if not for moral support?”

“You brought me here because you wanted _me_ to get a tattoo.”

Sokka waved his hand. “Semantics. Now come hold my hand.”

Zuko kept looking at Sokka for a couple seconds before realizing he wasn’t gonna change his mind and reluctantly moving his chair closer to grab Sokka’s hand. Sokka immediately intertwined their fingers and squeezed his hand when June finished setting up and put the tattoo gun to his neck.

“It shouldn’t be too bad, but tell me if you need a break alright?” he nodded, and she started.

If Sokka could say anything right now, he’d claim that he absolutely did _not_ squeal when June started the tattoo, but he was a little preoccupied with biting his bottom lip till it bleed and squeezing the life out of Zuko’s hand to respond to any accusations.

Zuko chuckled and squeezed Sokka’s hand lightly, “Sokka calm down before your lip falls off, or my hand _._ ”

He glared at Zuko half heartedly, but still lightened his grip on Zuko’s hand and released his bottom lip to respond with a strained, “Shut up.”

He smiled and squeezed his hand in support through the rest of the tattoo- which only lasted for another ten minutes. 

When it ended, Sokka got up to look at it in the mirror while still keeping a tight grip on Zuko’s hand and dragging him over with him. He was probably just too distracted from the excitement of seeing his tattoo, or maybe the relief that it was over, to realize he was still holding his hand. 

That made sense.

After Sokka finished admiring his tattoo, he led Zuko back over to the chair and pushed him down into it to start his own. He was still nervous about getting his own tattoo done, but after watching Sokka squirm while getting his own, it made it a little bit easier to sit still while waiting for his.

(Or maybe it was because of the firm grip that Sokka _still_ had on Zuko’s hand, and the warm feeling that was radiating off of it and onto Zuko.)

June finished setting up Zuko’s tattoo and had the gun up to his wrist, “You ready?” 

Zuko felt Sokka squeeze his hand, showering him in a wave of comfort. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

June started the tattoo and- it wasn’t that bad. There was a numb stinging sensation but it wasn’t the worst pain Zuko’s ever been in- not by a wide margin- so he felt himself relax into the chair and soften his grip on Sokka’s hand. 

“You okay?”

Zuko looked at Sokka, “Yeah, it’s not too bad. Not like I’m not squealing or anything.”

Sokka pouted, “I didn’t squeal.”

“You definitely squealed.”

“Hey dude I’m holding your hand for moral support right now do you want me to stop.”

Zuko laughed and the two of them continued their conversation and twenty minutes later, June was finished. 

“Alright how do you like it?”

Zuko looked down at his wrist and when Sokka leaned over to look as well, he tilted it towards him wordlessly.

He looked up and smiled at June, “It looks great, thanks. How much do we owe you.”

“Twenty for the smiley one, twenty-five for you.”

They paid and tipped June before heading outside where the sun had just finished setting. 

Zuko stared down at his wrist when he felt Sokka nudged his shoulder, “So? Did you like it?”

Zuko smirked, “Yeah actually I did. And the tattoos look nice too.”

“See I _told_ you I have good ideas,” Sokka beamed at him.

“Right, because you always have the best ideas when you’re eight shots in,” he teased.

“It worked out this time didn’t it.”

Zuko lowered his head towards his wrist, biting back a smile. “Yeah I guess it did.”

Sokka hummed proudly and they both walked silently for a few minutes before Sokka cleared his throat and spoke up again. 

“Hey,” he nudged.

“Hey.”

“You still wanna go to that ice cream place down the block?”

Zuko laughed and looked up at Sokka, “Seriously?”

He shook his shoulders, “Can’t a guy get some ice cream every once in a while?”

Zuko smiled at him before looking back down at his wrist.

“Yeah, let’s go get some ice cream.”  
  


**2.**

Zuko loved the aquarium. The one where he lived also happened to be one of the biggest ones in the _world_ , so it was a good place to go and waste a day of your life, so that’s how Zuko found himself there with his group of friends on a random Thursday night; they all agreed at the beginning of the school year to try and take at least one day a week for them to spend together to de-stress and distract themselves from the responsibilities of work and university. 

They circled back to the entrance when Katara turned to look at the group. “Okay, we only have a little over an hour before the place closes, so we have time to see one more exhibit before we go, so where do you guys-”

Before Katara could even finish, Sokka screamed “Dolphins!” at the same time Toph shouted “Food!”

Sokka glared at her from his spot by Zuko’s side, “We’re at an aquarium and you wanna go to the food court?”

Toph shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. “I think I’ve seen enough.”

“I think me and Yue are with Toph” Suki interrupted their bickering. 

Toph grinned and walked over to grab Suki’s arm that wasn’t occupied by her girlfriend, “We win.”

“Actually Toph there’s still four of us that haven’t agreed to that, and I kinda wanted to go back to see the-”

Toph interrupted Aang with a punch in his shoulder, pointedly ignoring his cry to stick a finger in his face, “Shut up Twinkletoes I said we win.”

Katara sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose and mumbling something about being “surrounded by children” under her breath. 

“Okay, so obviously if we’re resorting to physical _violence_ ,” she added with a glare at Toph, who just stuck her tongue out and flipped her off, “then we probably aren’t going to agree on one place are we?” she asked which was followed by a series of head shakes and “no’s” and a very pleading “I wanna see dolphins!” 

Katara groaned, “Okay fine then, everyone go wherever you want, and meet back here in thirty minutes alright? And no one goes off alone!”

“Thanks mom!” Toph responded before she pulled on Suki’s arm and ran in the direction of the food court, tripping Suki and Yue as they tried to stop her from running into everyone on her way. 

Aang grabbed Katara’s hand and dragged her away with an excited “ I wanna see the penguins again!” as they disappeared around the corner. Before Zuko could decide exactly where _he_ wanted to go, someone grabbed his wrist, startling him as he turned to see Sokka tugging him backwards. 

Sokka beamed back at Zuko, “C’mon, I wanna see dolphins!” 

Zuko laughed as he hurried to catch up with Sokka. Somehow the group managed to go to an _aquarium_ and completely pass by the dolphin enclosure (which was probably around the time Toph and Katara started arguing about the ethics of having sea animals in cages; Katara said it was wrong, Toph didn’t care). Sokka _obviously_ wasn’t happy about this, so it was no surprise he’d be so excited to take Zuko to see them now. 

When they eventually got to the dolphin section, it was almost completely vacated except for an old couple in one corner and some guy taking notes in another.

Sokka raised his eyebrows, “Huh.”

Zuko bit his lip nervously, “I mean, they _do_ close in almost an hour.”

Sokka looked at him and shrugged, “Yeah I guess, but who cares,” he grabbed Zuko’s wrist again and tugged him to the tank, “Let’s look at dolphins.”

Zuko smiled tenderly at Sokka before turning towards the dolphins. There were three swimming along the edge of the tank in front of the two boys, two of them swimming around each other as they rubbed against the glass. Zuko opened his mouth to say something- probably something completely wrong about dolphins, just to get Sokka to ramble about how wrong he was- but the words died in his throat when he looked at Sokka.

He was standing with a slight smile on his face, lips slightly parted as he watched the dolphins swimming past him. The light from the water was reflecting back onto him, basking his skin in blues and greens and shadows of dolphins swimming by his face. He was glowing in light and color and Zuko couldn’t look away- he looked ethereal. He was beautiful.

Eventually, Zuko did get himself together and turned back to the tank. They stood in a comfortable silence for a couple more minutes before Zuko felt Sokka’s grip on his wrist soften. He’d forgotten it was even there, and before he could even process the loss, he felt Sokka’s hand slip into his own.

He looked down at their hands and up at Sokka, who was watching him with a smile and a curious look. 

“What’s wrong?”

Sokka opened his mouth to say something, then furrowed his brows and closed it again. He turned back to look at the tank with a soft smile, and something that looked close to a blush.

It was probably just the lighting.

He sighed, “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine I just- I _really_ really love dolphins.” 

Zuko raised his eyebrow at him before looking back at the dolphins and smiling to himself. He knew Sokka liked dolphins, but he didn’t realize just how happy it made him to see them. He was glad Sokka was happy.

They stood there for a little while longer- well over their thirty minute limit that Katara requested- talking to each other about anything and everything before the sighs of the janitor got too loud to ignore, and they headed back. 

They had almost reached the spot the group was supposed to meet back at when Sokka tugged Zuko into the opposite direction- towards the gift shop.

“Sokka we’re already late-”

“Come on, I just wanna buy something really quick,” he replied as he tugged Zuko into the store before dropping his hand and running towards the stuffed animals in the back. 

Zuko lowered his head as he walked over to the glass display case filled with aquarium-themed jewelry- a shark tooth necklace, a heart shaped wave necklace, a ring with a starfish on it-

“Can I help you find something?”

Zuko looked up to see the salesman standing next to him smiling. 

“No I’m good, I’m just, looking at the jewelry.”

He hummed, “Thinking about buying one?”

Zuko smiled, “No, I don’t think it’s really my thing. But they’re really pretty,” he rested his hand on top of the case, spreading his fingers over it. 

“They are pretty nice. I think they’d look pretty good on you.”

Zuko widened his eye and looked at the worker that was looking back at him with his hip resting on the case and his arms crossed, smirking- and oh, this- he was flirting. He ducked his head to hide his blush the best he could and muttered a thanks under his breath. 

“I’m Jet by the way,” he stuck his hand out.

“Zuko.”

He shook Jet’s hand and he yawned, stretching his arms over his head.

Zuko laughed, “Long day?”

“Yeah man, been here since this morning,” he huffed.

Zuko hummed in response, “When do you get off?”

“Ten minutes, actually,” he nodded at Zuko, “What’re you doing for the rest of your day?”

“Oh I-”

“Was just leaving,” Sokka replied from behind him, grabbing his wrist tightly and yanking him out of the store. Zuko turned and smiled apologetically at Jet, who just smirked and waved before turning away. 

Sokka let go of Zuko’s wrist and kept walking forward, jaw clenched so hard it looked like it hurt.

“Hey,” he asked softly, grabbing Sokka’s elbow, “You alright?”

“What? I’m fine.”

Zuko furrowed his brows, “Didn’t you say you wanted to buy something?”

“Oh,” he raised his eyebrows and turned to keep walking. Zuko followed him. “I uh- I changed my mind.” 

Zuko ran to catch up with him and a couple minutes later they regrouped with their friends. 

Aang was the first to see them, nudging Katara who looked up with an irritated expression as everyone watched them walk back. 

“Thirty minutes. I said meet back in _thirty minutes_ , it’s been an _hour_ guys. Even Toph got back here on time, I mean where were you two, the dolphin section is three minutes away.”

Sokka shrugged and smiled weakly at his sister, “We’re here now aren’t we?”

Katara glared at the two of them, and rolled her eyes as she turned and walked out (but she _did_ have a slight smile on her face- so she couldn’t have been that upset), “C’mon, I’m hungry, and _you’re_ paying.”

  
  


**3.**

“And when he _finally_ responded to my email- _two days later_ \- it was the most passive aggressive response about how he _‘assigned the project two days ago’_ and I had ‘ _plenty of time to get it done by today._ ’ I mean can you believe that? Who does that?”

“Yeah, that’s rough, buddy.”

Zuko sighed; he and Sokka always went to The Jasmine Dragon after class, especially when one of them had a particularly shitty day. And Zuko was probably having one of the worst in a while.

He just got out of his Calculus class where his professor Zhao yelled the entire time about the project he gave them on Wednesday that was due that day, with no exceptions for late work. Almost no one in the class had it finished by the time class started, so he _graciously_ gave them until the end of the class to finish it (but not without taking fifteen points off each one turned in late) and Zuko barely got it done before the period ended. 

So needless to say, Zuko wasn’t having a fantastic afternoon, which is why he texted Sokka immediately after class if he wanted to go to get some tea at his uncle’s, to which Sokka responded with a very enthusiastic set of emojis. 

They rounded the block to The Jasmine Dragon when Sokka poked at his side, “Hey, you only have a week and a half before the semester ends, and then you can tell Zhao exactly where he can shove it.”

He snorted while Sokka opened the tea shop door for Zuko to walk through, “Well I do still have his final to take, and I don’t really wanna think about what bullshit he’s gonna pull for that.”

“You’ll do great,” he gushed, “You’re amazing Zuko, you’ll be fine.”

Zuko looked at him to respond with something- he wasn’t sure what exactly to say to _that_ \- but before he could do anything other than stare at him, a voice boomed from ahead of them.

“Nephew!” Iroh beamed as he planted a hand on his shoulder, “Well if it isn’t my two favorite customers.”

Zuko laughed and rolled his eyes, “Don’t let Azula hear you say that.”

Iroh waved him off, “Oh she doesn’t care, I think she’s still upset that I made her do the dishes last night,” he led them to their usual table in the corner, “So, what can I get the two of you?”

Zuko opened his mouth to give his uncle his order, but was cut off by Sokka. “Milk tea with black boba for me, jasmine tea for Zuko,” he smiled as Iroh nodded and walked off to start their drinks.

Zuko watched Sokka until he looked back and quirked an eyebrow in question, “What?”

“That,” he shook his head, “how’d you know what I wanted.”

Sokka’s face softened _,_ “I know you Zuko, of course I know what you get.”

He took a sharp breath in and let out a shaky “oh” with it.

Sokka’s smile widened as he blushed, before his face brightened and he jumped up in his seat.

“Oh! I almost forgot,” he reached down for his bag next to his booth, “I got you something.”

“What?”

“Yeah!” he looked up and smiled, “it’s supposed to be a birthday present, but I got excited and didn’t wanna wait for another week to give it to you, so here.” 

He pushed a small black box onto the table towards Zuko, and he stared at it in shock, “Sokka you really didn’t have-”

“Will you just open it?”

Zuko bit his lip, looking between the box and a very nervous, blushy Sokka. He grumbled and picked up the box to open it and-

Zuko could do nothing but stare at the ring inside, looking back and forth between it and Sokka- who was twisting his fingers together.

“I um, I know you lost your ace ring last week, and your birthday’s in a couple days so, I thought I’d get you a new one,” he smiled hesitantly.

Zuko _had_ lost his ring a week ago. The same day they got their tattoos, he went downstairs to do his laundry, and somewhere along the way, it had fallen off- he spent hours retracing his steps, trying to find it, but had no luck- and now Sokka had bought Zuko a new ring, barely a week later. Zuko should really do something other than _stare_ at Sokka right now, because he still couldn’t wrap his head around this. 

“Why?”

Sokka looked shocked, like he was expecting anything other than that question. He raised his arm and rubbed the back of his neck, “Well you just- you were really sad when you lost it, and I took me a long time to figure out what to get you for your birthday, so I just thought it’d be a good idea? I- I spent a lot of time trying to find a really nice one for you, but maybe I overstepped-”

“No! No Sokka this is,” he cleared the lump in his throat, curling his fingers around the box, “how much was this?”

Sokka lowered his arm, smiling gently, “That doesn’t matter Zuko.”

“Sokka-”

“It was worth it.”

Zuko wanted to interject- to argue that it probably wasn’t worth it just for him- but he closed his mouth when he looked at Sokka, looking back with a growing flush on his face and a look in his eyes that Zuko could almost call _love_ if he didn’t know any better. But it didn’t matter what Sokka felt either way, because Zuko loved him.

Zuko knew he loved Sokka- he’s known he was in love with him for years now- but looking at him now- Sokka, who bought Zuko a new ace ring when he lost his own. Sokka, who listened to Zuko rant about his awful class for twenty minutes. Sokka, who _knew his tea order_ \- something so miniscule and yet something so huge that it made Zuko’s heart flip in his chest. Something about looking at Sokka- the most thoughtful, amazing best friend that Zuko could never deserve- during times like this was enough to make Zuko fall in love with him over and over again. 

He tore his eyes away from Sokka to look down at the ring still in the box, and with shaking hands, he took it out and placed it on his finger. He stared at it for a while before grabbing his fingers with his other hand and pulling them to his heart and resting his chin onto them.

“Thank you Sokka.”

Sokka smiled so instantaneously and bright, and Zuko dutifully ignored the ache in his chest that came with it.

Sokka opened his mouth to say something, gazing very intensely at Zuko, but was stopped when two cups of tea were dropped in front of them.

“A jasmine tea for my nephew, and a black boba milk tea for his date.”

Zuko thinks he stopped breathing when he stared up at his uncle, mortified, before opening his mouth to say something along the lines of _this isn’t a date, you backstabbing old man-_

Before he could get his thoughts in order, Sokka laughed shyly and responded with a bright “thanks!” as Iroh gave Zuko a teasing look and walked away.

“So,” Sokka started, tracing the rim of his cup, “you wanna keep ranting about your sucky professor?”

Zuko laughed through his nose, wrapping his hands around his own tea, taking in its warmth, “I think I’ve had enough ranting. Why don’t you tell me about your class?”

Sokka gleamed at Zuko, babbling about his Physics class, the new project that Professor Piandao gave him that he was excited to start on, and so many other details that Zuko did not understand- he almost failed the only physics class he ever took freshman year if it wasn’t for Sokka- but he sat there, with his ring and his tea, and he listened. 

**4.**

Zuko was trying to study.

He really was- he finished the god-awful project Zhao assigned for his class just for him to tell them the following Monday that the final exam over the entire unit was in four days - and they hadn’t even _finished_ the unit yet. So Zuko asked Sokka to go to the campus library with him that day to work on all of their stuff and help him study. And maybe Zuko should’ve asked someone else- _anyone_ else- to come study with him, because while Zuko was trying to study, Sokka had absolutely no intention of doing so.

He was reading over the notes he took on one of the chapters for the test with his head in his hands when he felt something small and soft hit the side of his face. 

He turned to see a small ball of paper next to his arm and looked up at Sokka- who’s looking down smugly at his computer.

“You need something?”

Sokka looked up and shook his head, “Nope.”

He sighed and looked back down at his own computer, trying to remember the stupid jingle Katara taught him to help him memorize his math formulas before he felt something harder hit his temple again, and when he turned to look at it, it was a goddamned _Cheez-it._

He glanced up at Sokka but chose to ignore it hoping maybe he would get the hint. He didn’t- and not even a minute later Zuko gets a handful of Cheez-its thrown at his head. He turns to grab one on the table and throw it back- only for Sokka to catch it in his mouth and have the audacity to _wink_ at him.

Zuko blushed because _that shouldn’t have been cute_ and shook his head. “Have you studied at all since we’ve been here?”

“Been studying you for the past thirty minutes.”

Zuko’s eyes grew as he turned back to his computer, using his hair to hide the blush that was certainly the same color of his scar by now. Sokka was the type of person that flirted with his friends- and he did it _a lot_ to Zuko. 

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Oh c’mon Zuko I’m _bored._ ” 

“We’ve been here for thirty minutes, now do your work.”

Sokka almost immediately retaliated with more Cheez-its and complaints, getting shushed from every corner of the library. After a few minutes of complaining, Zuko indulged him- if only to get him to stop being so _loud_ \- and started throwing some back. They alternated tossing chips, trying to see who could catch the most in their mouths.

(They both missed all of them.)

Eventually, one hit Sokka’s forehead and he scrunched his face and grabbed it with his tongue, and cheered when he got it in his mouth.

“Congratulations,” Zuko giggled, “you got two out of the twenty that I threw. You deserve a medal or something.”

“Why thank you,” Sokka fake bowed in his seat and sat back up smiling, which Zuko kindly returned.

They stared at each other, smiling like idiots for who knows how long when one of the librarians walked over to their table.

“Excuse me, we’ve been getting some complaints about the two of you. If you wouldn’t mind exiting the library please.”

They both rose, responding with ‘oh yeah sorry’ and ‘of course sorry about that,’ and walked out. They got a total of ten feet away from the door before they both busted out laughing.

When he calmed down his giggles, Zuko hit Sokka’s shoulder, “Good job dude, you got us kicked out.”  
  
“You were a part of it too!”

“Well you started it!”

Sokka cackled again, bending over and clutching his stomach, before lifting back up and sighing. 

“Hey, what do you say we finish working at The Jasmine Dragon?”

“Iroh closes early on Mondays. And even if we did go, would you actually study this time?”

“Of course! I would never disrespect Iroh’s hospitality like that.”

“But you’ll disrespect the library hospitality?”

“Not if Iroh owned it.”

Zuko chuckled and looked ahead of them, grinning so wide it _did_ start to hurt.

They eventually went back to Sokka’s apartment he shared with Katara- and Sokka actually gave Zuko a chance to study for a few hours before his boredom hit him again.

“Okay that’s enough,” he grabbed Zuko’s computer and pulled it away, ignoring Zuko’s protests, “We’ve been studying for three hours straight now, I think we deserve a break.”

Zuko honestly should’ve said no- there were still parts of the unit he had to go over and practically teach himself, since Zhao was not only a mean professor, he was also just a bad one- but he was getting exhausted studying for hours straight, and Sokka was looking at Zuko like he wasn’t gonna accept any arguments anyway. Maybe one break wouldn’t hurt.

“Okay,” he sighed, leaning back in his seat, “What do you wanna do?”

“We can watch a movie,” he got up, grabbing their empty cups and heading to the kitchen, “You wanna watch Tangled again?”

Zuko groaned, tilting his head towards the ceiling and covering his face, “Sokka you know that movie just makes me cry.”

He looked back down to see Sokka standing in the kitchen doorway, leaning on the side with his arms crossed, smirking, “Is that a no?”

He dropped his hands in his lap and sighed, “No. Let’s do it.”

(Zuko ended up falling asleep right after the Snuggly Duckling scene. And if he dropped his head onto Sokka’s shoulders, snuggling into his side when his arm draped around him, relaxing into the warmth he emanated, relishing in the faint scent of his too-strong cologne, no one needed to know but him.)

(Sokka knew. So did Katara, when she came home to see them cuddling on the couch, and respectfully did _not_ take a picture of them.)

(She did. It’s in an album with all the others.)

**5.**

“I can’t believe we’re walking your _cat_ right now.”

Sokka laughed, tilting his head towards the sky as they made their way to the park, snow slushing beneath their feet with his cat’s leash in his hand. 

“Hey man, Momo likes taking walks okay?”

“And he couldn’t decide to take a walk when it wasn’t twenty-five degrees outside?”

Sokka scowled and pointed his finger in Zuko’s face, “You _offered_ to come with me so that’s your own fault.” 

Zuko pushed his finger away and smiled towards his feet. They were a couple feet away from the park when the wind picked up, sending a shiver through Zuko’s body.

“Are you cold?”

He looked at Sokka who was looking back curiously, and smirked. “I mean, I did just say it was twenty-five degrees didn’t I?”

Sokka didn’t laugh, just furrowed his eyebrows and started taking his coat off, sticking it out in front of Zuko.

“Here, you can wear my jacket over yours.”

He glanced at the coat, cursing the heat rising to his face that _definitely_ was from the cold and not the idea of wearing Sokka’s _jacket._

He wasn’t ever able to deny Sokka’s offer because Sokka sighed and stepped in front of Zuko, causing them to stop walking as he wrapped his jacket around Zuko’s shoulders- clutching it tighter and slightly tugging him forward until their chests were almost touching- the proximity sent a shudder down Zuko’s spine.

“Are you still cold?” Sokka whispered, gazing down at him.

“Um, no I-” Zuko cleared his throat, finding somewhere to look that wasn’t Sokka’s face, eyes landing on his chest- only _then_ realizing what he had been wearing below his jacket. 

“You’re um, you’re wearing a crop top. In winter.”

“Hm? Oh, yeah. I didn’t have laundry.”

“You didn’t have laundry,” he repeated out of breath and shook his head. “Are you sure you don’t want your coat, I have a feeling you’re gonna get cold in that.”

Sokka waved him off, finally letting go of his jacket and turning to walk away, and Zuko let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Nah, I’m used to this weather. Plus, it is technically my fault you’re out here with me so you can have it. Now let’s go, Momo’s getting impatient.”

Zuko wasn’t gonna tell Sokka that he would’ve gone with him regardless of whether Sokka asked or not, so he shut his mouth and let a comfortable silence take over as they got to the park.

They made it to the dog park- with a _cat_ \- and stood for a couple of minutes, trading jokes and small conversations back and forth while watching Momo jump around in the snow, when a voice called out from behind them.

“Excuse me,” Zuko and Sokka turned simultaneously to see a woman- probably a couple years older than they were- smiling awkwardly at the two of them, a small dog in her arms. 

“Sorry to bother you boys, but I saw you from the other side of the park and just wanted to say that you two make a very cute couple.”

Zuko looked at the woman, feeling his cheeks darken because _how does this keep happening to him_ and faltered trying to think of a response when he heard Sokka let out a laugh and smiled at her.

“Thanks!”

Zuko gaped at him while the woman smiled and started walking away and Momo pulled on the leash in Sokka’s hand, tripping him as he started walking forward to catch up with the cat- but Zuko stayed still doing nothing, unable to do _anything_ other than stare at the back of Sokka’s retreating head. 

“Why did you do that?”

Sokka turned back curiously, before noticing their distance and frowning.

“Why did I do what?”

“Why did you do _that,_ ” he replied, gesturing to the woman far behind them now. “Why do you _keep_ doing that.”

Sokka’s eyes widened in realization- and he _shrugged,_ “I mean, it’s not really a big deal.”

It’s not really a big deal. _It’s not really a big deal._

Zuko clenched his fists at his sides and scoffed, “Maybe not to _you_.”

Sokka narrowed his eyes, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zuko promptly shut his mouth when he realized that just _maybe_ he said too much. He looked down, toeing his shoes into the snow. “Nothing, nevermind just- forget it.”

He shut his eyes when he heard Sokka’s footsteps inching towards him, still not looking up.

“ _Zuko._ ”

Zuko tensed, pursing his lips at the sound of Sokka saying his name, at the way he said it- like it was something else. Something _more._ And Zuko really couldn’t take it anymore.

“It’s just, I know you don’t mean to do it, or you don’t really think about it- which is fine- but it's just that. Doing this, doing _that_ , telling people we’re together or that this is a- a date, it-”

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Zuko shot his head up, wincing at the blank, closed off expression on Sokka’s face that _Zuko_ put there.

“No! No Sokka of course not. You could never,” Zuko sighed and tilted his head towards the floor again, trying to find the right words, “It’s not that it’s, it’s the opposite. Sokka I’ve- I’ve liked you- I’ve been in _love_ with you for like, three years now. And I know I should’ve told you and I’m sorry I didn’t- because you had a right to know.

“And I get it if you,” he continued shakily, “if you’re mad or uncomfortable, or don’t wanna talk to me anymore but I just- calling this a date, giving me your _jacket_ , and just doing, _coupley_ things I- I _want_ it to be real which is why I’m saying all of this and I’m, I’m really sorry Sokka,” he took a deep breath and hesitantly looked back up at Sokka, just to see him _smiling at him_.

He gulped, “What?”

Sokka’s smile widened as he reached up and grabbed Zuko’s face with a hand on either side.

“You’re an idiot,” he responded before he pulled Zuko’s face up and kissed him.

Sokka. Kissed him.

Sokka grabbed his face. And kissed him.

_Sokka was kissing him._

Zuko’s entire body tensed painfully before he _finally_ allowed himself to relax and kiss Sokka back and now _Zuko was kissing Sokka._

At first, it was nothing more than a slight drag of their lips against each other. But when Zuko hesitantly raised his hands up to grasp his shoulders, Sokka took it as the silent confirmation that it was, and deepened the kiss.

Eventually, Zuko’s mind caught up with his mouth and he pulled away with a gasp.

“I- what. What are you doing?”

Sokka looks at him and he’s _still holding his face_ and grins at him.

“Zuko, I’ve been in love with you for _months_ now. I just never said anything because I didn’t think that _you_ liked _me._ ”

Zuko took a sharp breath in and stared up at Sokka from where his face was squished between his hands, who was still smiling down at him like everything was normal and like he didn’t just _completely flip Zuko’s entire world upside down_.

“You love me.”

Sokka sighed _lovingly,_ “Yeah Zuko. I love you.”

“And you,” he swallowed, “You’ve been _in love_ with me, for…”

“Almost a year now. I’ve had a crush on you for longer.”

Zuko nodded slowly- as much as he could with Sokka barricading his face. “Almost a year. Now. You’ve loved me.”

Sokka didn’t respond that time, just softened his smile and his eyes and kept looking down at Zuko how he always looked at Zuko- with so much _love_ that Zuko couldn’t believe he didn’t realize it sooner.

“Oh,” he breathed, “I am an idiot.”

Sokka chuckled, moving one hand to wrap around the back of Zuko’s neck and squeezing lightly, “It’s okay, we’re both idiots,” and he kissed him again, and Zuko let him.

He didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, but when they eventually broke apart, it was only slightly as Sokka leaned forward to rest his forehead on Zuko’s. 

“Thank god Momo likes walks in the snow huh?” Sokka asked, smirking.

Zuko laughed, lowering his forehead to hide his face in Sokka’s shoulder, relaxing into it when Sokka’s arms wrapped around him, one on his neck, one rubbing circles into his back. And despite the cold, Zuko felt warm all over. 

“Yeah, thank god for Momo.”

  
  
  


**+1.**

Zuko walked down the hall towards the living room after changing his outfit for the sixth (seventh? tenth?) time and stopped in front of his uncle who was studying his Pai Sho board with intense curiosity (Why he was so concerned with his Pai Sho board when he wasn’t even playing with anyone? Zuko couldn’t figure that out).

“So,” he sighed, “how do I look?”

He changed back into one of the first outfits he had chosen- black jeans and a red knit turtleneck. Iroh looked up at the sound of Zuko’s voice and smiled, “You look wonderful nephew. You’ll make all the boys swoon.”

Zuko snorted, “Well I only wanna make _one_ boy swoon uncle, but thank you.”

Iroh smiled softly and got up to stand in front of Zuko, putting his hands on his shoulders, looking up slightly above Zuko’s eyes.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to fix your hair for you?’

“After the last time you did it for me? Despite what you might think uncle, I don’t actually want to scare Sokka away.”

Iroh snickered lowly before giving Zuko a knowing smile and patting his cheek when someone knocked on the door- and Zuko most definitely did _not_ almost trip running up to it. 

He heard Iroh giggle from where he left him and turned to glare and point an accusatory finger at him, “Not a word.”

Iroh motioned his fingers over his mouth, pretending to zip it closed. Zuko took a deep breath, heart pounding as he wrapped his fingers around the door handle, and opened it.

Sokka looked at Zuko when it opened, a comically large grin already on his face. He was wearing black jeans and a blue button-down shirt, and had a bouquet of red roses in one hand- he looked good, and Zuko couldn’t help smiling back. They stood there staring at each other for a while, both with shit-eating grins, when Zuko thought maybe someone should say something.

“Hi,” he whispered.

Sokka’s grin somehow managed to grow even larger, “Hey.”

“Hello!” Iroh boomed from behind Zuko, making him jump and turn to see Iroh had moved from his original spot, now standing right behind him.

“What are you an owl or something? Couldn’t give a guy a little warning.”

“I did,” he chuckled, “You were a little distracted.”

Zuko ducked his head, feeling his face grow red as Iroh and Sokka chuckled at him, and he grumbled.

“Alright, I’ll stop,” he patted Zuko’s shoulder sympathetically before turning to Sokka, “Please have my nephew home by ten o’clock young man.”

“ _Uncle!_ ”

“ _Okay, okay,_ ” he shoved Zuko, “Now go, have fun boys.”

“Thank you Iroh!” Sokka exclaimed, giggling as Zuko walked out, shoving Sokka out of the door frame and to his car.

Zuko got in the car and let out a deep breath as Sokka rounded to the driver's seat and got in.

“Sorry,” he put his head in his hands, “he said he wouldn’t embarrass me.”

Sokka laughed, prying Zuko’s hands from his face to get him to look up at him, grabbing one of his hands and squeezing it, “It’s okay Zuko, I love Iroh.”

Zuko sighed, resting his head against the seat, squeezing Sokka’s hand, “Yeah, I know. Can we just get out of here?”

He smiled, “I thought you’d never ask, here,” he handed Zuko the bouquet, letting go of his hand to get the car out of the parking spot, and grabbing it again the second they were back on the road. 

The drive to the restaurant took about twenty minutes- filled with conversations mostly consisting of Zuko asking Sokka where exactly he was taking them, and Sokka refusing to answer anything Zuko threw at him- and before he knew it, they were pulling into the parking lot.

“Sushi huh? Classy.”

“Only the best for you babe,” he replied, leaning over the gear and kissing him on the cheek before getting out of the car. 

He walked around to Zuko’s side to open his door and help him out of the car. As soon as he cleared the doorway, Sokka shut it, crowding Zuko onto it to grab his face and kiss him.

Zuko sighed into it and reciprocated, both of them smiling by the end as they pulled away.

“Ready?” Sokka asked, holding his hand out for Zuko. He smiled, giving Sokka a peck on the lips, and took it, “Always.”

They ate and talked at the restaurant for two hours, all the nerves Zuko had disappearing during it; he wasn’t sure why he was nervous in the first place- other than the new label to their relationship, it was the exact same thing they always did (except this time, Sokka sat on the same side as Zuko. Which Zuko thought was incredibly tacky, but Sokka claimed was ‘ _absolutely necessary babe, how else am I gonna hold your hand?”_ )

After they finished and paid (or after _Sokka_ paid, because he refused to split the bill with him since ‘ _This is a date Zuko, lemme treat you for once_.’) they left the restaurant and walked hand-in-hand down the street to get frozen yogurt.

“Hey,” Sokka stopped, pulling on Zuko’s hand to stop him as well, “I really love you, you know.”

Zuko gazed at Sokka, before he let a smile grow on his face and he leaned up to give Sokka a quick kiss.

“I really love you too.”

They ended up eating their fro-yo in the car, listening to obnoxious music as Sokka drove him home, and never once letting go of each other's hand. It may have taken them a while to get here- maybe a little bit _too_ long, if their friends' reactions were anything to go by- but Zuko wouldn’t want it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! You can follow me on tumblr @ freckledsokka if you did. :)


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